


Public Opinionbending

by osheamobile



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Askbox Fic, Futurefic, Gen, Mo' Money Mo' Problems, New Avatar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-22
Updated: 2015-12-22
Packaged: 2018-05-08 12:34:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5497238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/osheamobile/pseuds/osheamobile
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Technology marches on, and so does the Avatar.</p><p>Written prior to the series finale (and for that matter, prior to most of seasons 2-4) and thus does not take any of that into account.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Public Opinionbending

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bethanythemartian](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bethanythemartian/gifts).



> bethanythemartian asked: Fanfic prompt: we've seen that the Avatar universe advances (technologically speaking) in a similar way to ours. What will that universe look like when it reaches our current level of modernity? How would we integrate bending into modern society?
> 
> That… is an awesome prompt. I’m afraid of not doing it justice! In any case, I can’t get a whole exploration of a culture’s technology level in one snapshot, but I hope this does what you asked.

Crowds were always Bao Yu’s weakness.

Sure, the other aspects of being the Avatar were extremely troublesome, but she could handle them. Having her White Lotus bodyguards carefully filter her fanmail for bombs, being accosted by random visions of the past while walking down the street… those things she could deal with. She was _trained_ to deal with them. They had been part of her life as far back as she could remember, in fact.

But crowds? Public speaking in front of what seemed to be the entirety of Republic City’s population? She would _never_ get used to that.

“Come on, Bao Yu,” said a quiet, calming voice from behind her. “They’re not going to wait all day. Might as well get it over with.”

Bao Yu sighed, shifting in her formal green robes. “Why do I have to do this, Meelo? I’m not a public speaker.”

Councilman Meelo sighed and scratched the back of his head. “I know, but this is the Centennial! One hundred years since Republic City was founded, and the entire Allied Nations are watching. It’s one speech, then you get to go home and paint or whatever it is you do when we’re not watching you.”

Without looking, Bao Yu slapped away the hand he was about to place on her shoulder. “I’m not a kid anymore, Meelo.”

Meelo grunted his displeasure. “Then stop acting like one,” he snapped.

Bao Yu blinked. That was completely unlike her Airbending master. “What?”

“You heard me.” Meelo stepped in front of her and whirled around, his grey beard practically bristling with his annoyance. “An adult would see this as her duty. Part of being the Avatar is being a public figure, to keep harmony through her words as well as her actions. This is part of it.”

“My ‘words’ are what got us here in the first place!” Bao Yu shouted. “If it wasn’t for that stupid program twisting my speech, I wouldn’t have to be doing this now!”

“You know just as well as I do that nobody actually believes Kuma when he’s on one of his rants–”

“It wasn’t just on the television, Meelo! All those newspapers with my face, under a great big headline!” Bao Yu posed dramatically. “'Avatar Bao Yu: Equalist Sympathizer?’ All for saying that the Non-Bender’s Rights Activists had a viable point in their campaign.”

“Which is why we’re giving this press conference here,” explained Meelo, gesturing around him.

Bao Yu sighed. Logically, she saw the point Meelo was trying to make. Celebrate the centennial by hosting an event at the Avatar Korra Memorial Stadium, which had the additional bonus of being the largest venue for such an event. Nowhere else in the city had as many seats for an audience, and by all indications, every single one of those was filled.

She sighed. “I didn’t ask for this,” she grumbled.

Meelo gave her a comforting grin. “I have it on good authority that’s what they all said, right before… well.”

“Well?”

“Well,” repeated Meelo, cryptically. “You’ll see.” He gestured one more time towards the doors. The ones that led to a full stadium, hundreds of cameras, and the waiting editorials of every news anchor and journalist in the nation.

Bao Yu gathered her courage, straightened her robes, and walked through the doors to the most important press conference of her life.


End file.
